Biodiesel Labs Teacher Manual with Student Documents - Institute of Environmental Sustainability
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Institute of Environmental Sustainability
Biodiesel Labs
Teacher Manual with Student Documents
Loyola University of Chicago
Institute of Environmental Sustainability
Biodiesel Program
Version 4.0
August 7, 2013
Loyola University of Chicago: Biodiesel Labs 1
Welcome,
This series of labs focuses on building an environmental sustainability component into the
high school classroom. In the following pages you will find both teacher and student
documents for labs that focus on biodiesel production, testing, and use.
Our goal is to provide a comprehensive collection of activities that teach scientific principles
through the lens of alternative fuel production. We continue to develop new labs, lessons,
and supplies in our Biodiesel Lab, but we also encourage teachers to submit their ideas and
materials to us as well. Please help us to build a library of biodiesel, alternative energy, and
environmental sustainability labs and lessons.
Beyond this collection, the Biodiesel Program also offers support to schools interested in
going beyond simple labs. We offer guest speakers (Skype), tours of our lab (in person or
Skype), Q+A sessions (Skype), and biodiesel production equipment loans to schools in the
Chicagoland area. Please visit our website to learn more about the resources available
through our program and feel free to contact us with any questions, concerns, or ideas:
www.luc.edu/biodiesel.
I would like to extend thanks to the Environmental Protection Agency for funding this project
in its start-up and the Institute of Environmental Sustainability at Loyola University Chicago
for their support. We would also like to extend our thanks to you, the teachers. Your
commitment to teach about the environment and sustainable practices is leading us to a
brighter future.
Sincerely,
Zach Waickman
Biodiesel Lab Manager
Institute of Environmental Sustainability
Loyola University Chicago
Zach Waickman, Biodiesel Lab Manager
Institute of Environmental Sustainability
6349 N Kenmore Avenue | Chicago, Illinois 60660
p (773) 508-8852
zwaickm@luc.edu or LUC.edu/Biodiesel
Loyola University of Chicago: Biodiesel Labs 2
Table of Contents
Biodiesel Labs ............................................................................................................................................ 1
Making Biodiesel from Virgin Vegetable Oil: Teacher Manual ..................................................................... 4
Making Biodiesel from Virgin Vegetable Oil: Student Lab ............................................................................ 9
Waste Vegetable Oil and Titrations: Teacher Manual ................................................................................ 13
Waste Vegetable Oil and Titrations: Student Lab ....................................................................................... 18
Viscosity Lab Procedure: Teacher Manual .................................................................................................. 21
Viscosity Lab Procedure: Student Lab ......................................................................................................... 26
Properties of Liquids: Teacher Manual ....................................................................................................... 29
Properties of Liquids: Student Lab Day 1 .................................................................................................... 33
Properties of Liquids: Student Lab Day 2 .................................................................................................... 35
Properties of Liquids: Post Lab.................................................................................................................... 37
Combustion of a Renewable and Fossil Fuel: Teacher Manual .................................................................. 39
Combustion of a Renewable and Fossil Fuel: Student Lab ......................................................................... 47
Biodiesel Reaction Efficiency (27/3 Test) .................................................................................................... 52
Making Liquid Soap: Teacher Manual ......................................................................................................... 56
Making Liquid Soap: Student Lab................................................................................................................ 59
Biofuel Life Cycle Analysis: Teacher Manual .............................................................................................. 62
Biofuel Life Cycle Analysis: Student Activity .............................................................................................. 67
Renewable Energy Debate: Student Activity ............................................................................................. 72
Loyola University of Chicago: Biodiesel Labs 3
Making Biodiesel from Virgin Vegetable
Oil: Teacher Manual
Learning Goals:
Students will understand how to produce biodiesel from virgin vegetable oil.
Students will understand the effect of an exothermic reaction.
Students will understand the distinction between reagents and products.
Objectives:
Students will make biodiesel from virgin vegetable oil.
Students will record actions, calculations, and observations in a laboratory notebook.
Extended Background:
Biodiesel is a cleaner burning renewable alternative to diesel fuel that is made from biological sources;
namely vegetable oil or animal fats (triglycerides). It is mixable with diesel, stable in mixture, and can be
burned in an unmodified diesel engine at any concentration.
Biodiesel is made through a transesterification reaction. Transesterification is the chemical process
through which one ester (a chemical having the general structure R’COOR’’) is changed into
another. When the original ester is reacted with an alcohol, the process is called alcoholysis. The LUC
Biodiesel Laboratory makes biodiesel using vegetable oil (an ester compound) and methanol (an alcohol)
as the reagents. Vegetable oil is a triglyceride (or triacylglycerol), which is essentially a glycerin (or
glycerol) molecule connected via ester bonds to three fatty acid molecules. Vegetable oils and animal
fats are composed of triglycerides. During the reaction, the fatty acids of the triglyceride molecule are
cleaved and attach to the alkyl group (the part made of carbon and hydrogen) of the alcohol to form
fatty acid alkyl esters (in our case, fatty acid methyl esters or FAME), which are biodiesel. In order to
get the transesterification of vegetable oil going, at LUC we use a base catalyst (a substance that
increases the rate of a chemical reaction but is not altered by the reaction). We use potassium
hydroxide (KOH) as our base catalyst. This reaction is diagramed on the next page.
Loyola University of Chicago: Biodiesel Labs 4+ +
Vegetable Oil + Alcohol Biodiesel + Glycerin
R’’= fatty acid chain of the triglyceride (this will vary for each type of vegetable oil)
R’= in the case of methanol, this will be methyl group (CH3)
Reagents Catalyst Products
Triglyceride (veggie oil) Biodiesel (FAME)
KOH
Alcohol (methanol) Glycerin
The transesterification reaction produces crude biodiesel. The product is considered crude because it is
contaminated with methanol, basic salts, and glycerin. All of these contaminants are water
soluble. Therefore, in the LUC Biodiesel Laboratory, we remove them using a water wash. The washing
introduces water to the biodiesel, which decreases fuel quality and must be removed. In the LUC
Biodiesel Laboratory, we bubble air through wet biodiesel to dry it. This process forces the evaporation
or settling of water molecules remaining in the fuel and leaves you with a finished biodiesel fuel.
To prevent mistakes and misunderstandings and to maintain a record of any ingenious achievements,
we suggest that all students take meticulous notes in a laboratory notebook.
Materials:
Vegetable oil (200 mL per pair of 50 mL graduated cylinder
students) One ball jar per pair of students
250 mL graduated cylinder Large separatory funnel with ring stand
Scale or balance Spray bottle with distilled water
Weigh boats
Base (KOH) (≈ 2 g per pair of students)
Small spatula
Methanol (40 mL per pair of students)
Loyola University of Chicago: Biodiesel Labs 5Preparation:
1) Set up stations for student pairs with ball jars and weigh boats.
2) Set up 1-2 stations for students to collect vegetable oil, lye, and methanol for their reactions.
3) Prepare crude biodiesel for washing (see below).
Procedure:
Calculating the amounts of reagents and catalysts required
The recipe for making biodiesel from virgin vegetable oil, using base as a catalyst, is simple. For every 1L
of vegetable oil, add 0.2 L of methanol, and 8.0 g of KOH. In this lab, we will be starting with 200 mL of
vegetable oil.
1 L oil + 0.2 L methanol + 8.0 g KOH 1 L biodiesel + 0.2 L glycerin + salts
Have students calculate the amounts of methanol and KOH required:
200 ml vegetable oil _____ ml methanol _____ g KOH
(This is important information to include in the laboratory notebook. Always have students begin each
entry with the batch number, name, present date and time.)
Laboratory safety
Caution: The methanol you will be working with is highly flammable and toxic and the base is
caustic. Everyone should put on safety goggles and gloves. Check that you are wearing long pants and
closed-toed shoes.
Making Potassium Methoxide: Student Procedure
1) Using a 50-mL graduated cylinder (located in the fume hood), measure out the correct volume of
methanol under the fume hood. Pour the methanol into a Ball jar. Seal the lid.
a) If a fume hood is not available, place methanol in a well ventilated area.
2) Use the balance to weigh out the correct mass of lye. (Try to do this quickly. Base is hygroscopic, it
will absorb water from the atmosphere after the lid is opened and change total mass).
3) Put the KOH into the Ball jar, secure the lid again, and shake the jar until all of the KOH has dissolved
(no base particles should remain visible). The reaction between the base and methanol is
exothermic (it releases heat and pressure). Periodically take your jar to the fume hood and “burp
it”—open the lid to release the pressure.
(Have students make descriptive notes in the laboratory notebook about this process. What did the
solution look like? Did you feel heat coming off of the liquid? How long did it take to dissolve the lye?
etc.)
Loyola University of Chicago: Biodiesel Labs 6Making crude biodiesel: Student Procedure
1) Using a graduated cylinder (located near the vegetable oil), measure 200 ml of vegetable oil.
2) Pour the vegetable oil into the jar with the potassium methoxide. Secure the lid.
3) Carefully and vigorously shake the mixture for at least 10 minutes.
4) Label the jar with your group name and the jar’s contents and let sit.
You just made crude biodiesel! You are almost
there!
(Again, have students make descriptive notes in the
laboratory notebook. What did the solution look like?
Did the color change through time? etc.)
Crude biodiesel
What happens next?
You should begin to see a separation in the mixture
you have created. The glycerin that was cleaved from
the triglyceride is denser than the biodiesel and will
Crude glycerin settle to the bottom of your container. The biodiesel
will float on top as in the image above.
Washing the biodiesel: Teacher
Procedure
At this point the biodiesel you have made is crude
because it contains residual base, glycerin, soap, and
methanol. To remove these impurities which may negatively impact fuel performance, the crude
biodiesel must be washed.
Because washing is a time intensive project, we suggest that you do a small demonstration at the front
of the class for washing biodiesel. Using a large separatory funnel pour in crude biodiesel (a beaker may
be substituted but a separatory funnel will show separation more clearly). This will provide a clear
visualization of the separation that takes place between the crude biodiesel and crude glycerin. Allow
sufficient time to separate (~30 min.). Once there has been a noticeable separation, drain the crude
glycerin from the biodiesel.
Using a spray bottle with distilled water, gently spray water onto the surface of the biodiesel in the
separatory funnel. You should notice an immediate separation as the water moves to the bottom of the
funnel. Because of the polarity of water molecules, they will pull the residual lye, glycerin and methanol
from your crude biodiesel, and leave you with a purer biodiesel. If the force of the water entering is too
great, it will hydrolyze the free fatty acids, which will combine with the base to form soap.
However, it should be noted that the biodiesel created in the ball jars will not be as pure as the biodiesel
made on a larger scale because this process occurs at room temperature, uses only one reaction, and
Loyola University of Chicago: Biodiesel Labs 7does not include a titration of the oil. Subsequently, there is a greater chance that this biodiesel will
contain unwanted substances in suspension, despite washing it.
Note for procedure: If you have the time and resources, it will be beneficial to have biodiesel in the
separatory funnel before the lab begins.
Clean Up
Clean all glassware and bench space.
Biodiesel can be used in candles or tiki torches (not suitable for use in an engine)
Glycerin contains excess methanol. This can be boiled off under a fume hood (not a student
activity) and the methanol-free glycerin can be used to make soap (See “Soap Lab”)
Wash water can be sent down the drain
Student Questions:
1) In this laboratory, what were the reagents and what were the products? What did you use as a
catalyst? Why did you use a catalyst?
Reagents: vegetable oil and alcohol (methanol)
Products: biodiesel and glycerin
Catalyst: either sodium hydroxide (NaOH) or potassium hydroxide (KOH) depending
upon your procedure
A catalyst lowers the activation energy of the reaction by bonding with the
methanol. It causes the reaction to move forward.
2) What did you observe as you mixed the vegetable oil and the methoxide? Why do you think this
happened?
The students should observe a slight color change in the solution of methoxide and
vegetable oil as the two begin to react with each other. As the reaction occurs the
contents of the ball jar will change to a milky white.
3) Describe what happened to the vegetable oil after the reaction. What did you observe in your
jar?
After the reaction has finished and the ball jar content has returned to being a gold-oil
coloring rather than white, the contents of the jar should begin to separate out into
crude biodiesel and glycerin.
4) Why do the crude biodiesel and crude glycerin separate?
The crude biodiesel and the glycerin should separate when let sit due to the differences
in density. The glycerin will settle to the bottom and the biodiesel will sit on top.
5) How did the pH of the water change after washing the biodiesel? Why did the pH gradually
change after each successive washing?
The pH should lower after each watching and after each washing more of the residual
base glycerin and methanol will be removed from the biodiesel bringing the pH closer to
seven.
Loyola University of Chicago: Biodiesel Labs 8Making Biodiesel from Virgin Vegetable
Oil: Student Lab
Background
Biodiesel is a cleaner burning renewable alternative to diesel fuel that is made from biological sources;
namely vegetable oil or animal fats. It is mixable with diesel, stable in mixture, and can be burned in an
unmodified diesel engine at any concentration.
Biodiesel is made through a transesterification reaction. Transesterification is the chemical process
through which one ester is changed into another. The LUC Biodiesel Laboratory makes biodiesel using
vegetable oil (an ester compound) and methanol (an alcohol) as the reagents. In order to get the
transesterification of vegetable oil going, at LUC we use a base catalyst (a substance that increases the
rate of a chemical reaction but is not altered by the reaction). We use potassium hydroxide (KOH) as
our base catalyst. This reaction is diagramed on the next page.
+ +
Vegetable Oil + Alcohol Biodiesel + Glycerin
R’’= fatty acid chain of the triglyceride (this will vary for each type of vegetable oil)
R’= in the case of methanol, this will be methyl group (CH3)
Reagents Catalyst Products
Vegetable Oil Biodiesel
Base (KOH)
Methanol Glycerin
The transesterification reaction produces crude biodiesel. The product is considered crude because it is
contaminated with methanol, base, glycerin, and soap.
Loyola University of Chicago: Biodiesel Labs 9To prevent mistakes and misunderstandings and to maintain a record of any ingenious achievements,
we suggest that all students take meticulous notes in a laboratory notebook.
Materials:
250mL graduated cylinder For each pair of students:
500mL graduated cylinder One ball jar
Scale or balance 200 mL Vegetable oil
Base (KOH) ≈ 2 g Base (KOH)
40 mL Methanol
(In your Laboratory notebook always begin each entry with the batch number, your name, present date
and time)
Laboratory safety
Caution: The methanol you will be working with is highly flammable and toxic and the base is
caustic. Everyone should put on safety goggles and gloves. Check that you are wearing long pants and
closed-toed shoes. Make sure your hair is pulled back away from your face and secured in a hair tie.
Preparation:
Before the procedure, the amount of reagents and catalysts needs to be calculated. The recipe for
making biodiesel from virgin vegetable oil, using base as a catalyst, is simple. For every 1L of vegetable
oil, add 0.2 L of methanol and 8.0 g of KOH. In this lab, we will be starting with a 200 mL of vegetable oil.
1 L oil + 0.2 L methanol + 8.0 g KOH 1 L biodiesel + 0.2 L glycerin + salts
(Use this space or your Lab notebook to calculate the amount of methanol and catalyst needed for the
reaction)
200 ml vegetable oil _____ ml methanol _____ g KOH
Procedure:
Make potassium methoxide to be used as a reagent in your reaction. Potassium methoxide is the result
of adding your catalyst (KOH) to the methanol. Remember to read through all instructions before
carrying out the procedure.
Make descriptive notes in your Lab notebook about this process. Some questions to keep in mind are:
What did the solution look like? Did you feel heat coming off of the liquid? How long did it take to
dissolve the lye? Feel free to answer these questions in your lab notebook.
Using a 50 mL graduated cylinder (located in the fume hood), measure out the correct volume of
methanol under the fume hood. Pour the methanol into a Ball jar. Seal the lid.
Loyola University of Chicago: Biodiesel Labs 10Use the balance to weigh out the correct mass of lye. (Try to do this quickly. Base is hygroscopic, it will
absorb water from the atmosphere after the lid is opened and change the total mass).
Put the base into the Ball jar, secure the lid again, and shake the jar until all of the base has dissolved (no
base particles should remain visible except sand sized particles). The reaction between the base and
methanol is exothermic (it releases heat and pressure).
Next, make crude biodiesel
Continue to make descriptive notes in your Lab notebook. Some questions to answer: What did the
solution look like? Did the color change through time?
Using a 250 mL graduated cylinder (located near the vegetable oil), measure 200 ml of vegetable oil.
Pour the vegetable oil into the jar with the potassium methoxide. Secure the lid.
Carefully and vigorously shake the mixture for at least 10 minutes.
Label the jar with your group name and the jar’s contents and let sit.
You just made crude biodiesel!
What happens next?
You should begin to see a separation in the mixture you
have created. The glycerin that was cleaved from the
triglyceride is denser than the biodiesel and will settle to the
bottom of your container. The biodiesel will float on top as
Crude biodiesel
in the image left.
Clean up
Wash your hands after the experiment.
Crude glycerin Clean all glassware and bench space you used.
Put safety goggles in its proper place.
Loyola University of Chicago: Biodiesel Labs 11Questions:
1. In this laboratory, what were the reagents and what were the products? What did you use as a
catalyst? Why did you use a catalyst?
2. What did you observe as you mixed the vegetable oil and the methoxide? Why do you think this
happened?
3. Describe what happened to the vegetable oil after the reaction. What did you observe in your
jar?
4. Why do the crude biodiesel and crude glycerin separate?
5. How did the pH of the water change after washing the biodiesel? Why did the pH gradually
change after each successive washing?
Loyola University of Chicago: Biodiesel Labs 12Waste Vegetable Oil and Titrations:
Teacher Manual
Goals
Understand how the frying process alters the composition of vegetable oil.
Understand why titration is performed on WVO before introducing it to the transesterification
reaction.
Understand how to perform a titration.
Understand why additional base is added to the transesterification reaction.
Objectives
Students will perform multiple titrations on samples of WVO.
Students will use their results to calculate the amount of additional base needed to neutralize
FFAs in the WVO.
Students will product biodiesel from WVO.
Students may be involved in the WVO collection and pre-treatment processes.
Materials
Waste vegetable oil (WVO) For each student group:
Large container for heating oil
1 burette
Stove burner or hot plate
3 small (50 ml) flasks
Sock filter(s)
1 graduated pipette
Scale(s)
Phenolpthalein w/ dropper
KOH
60-mL Isopropyl alcohol
Weigh boats
10-ml graduated cylinder
Distilled water
Small funnel
1.5 L beaker
Funnel
Preparation and procedures
The process of converting waste vegetable oil (WVO) to biodiesel is essentially the same as that of
converting virgin vegetable oil, but working with WVO requires a few extra steps:
1. Collection
2. Filtration
3. Heating and settling
4. Titration
5. Calculating the amount of additional base catalyst
Loyola University of Chicago: Biodiesel Labs 13Collection
To convert WVO to biodiesel, oil must first be collected from a fryer. The first step in collecting WVO is
to establish a relationship with your provider. If you have fryers at your school, it should be easy enough
to collect enough oil for a classroom experiment. We encourage students to be involved in this process.
The Loyola Biodiesel Program currently collects WVO from cafeterias on campus and from local
restaurants. Kitchens often change fryer oil on a regular schedule, so you should be aware of this as you
prepare the lesson. A system or protocol for pick-up may need to be established. We leave collection
pails with the cafeterias on campus, and our restaurant providers typically return the fryer oil to its
original vessel once it has cooled. Caution: Never collect hot oil.
Filtration
The frying process often introduces food particles to the oil, and the oil must be filtered before
undergoing the transesterification reaction. We typically pre-filter the oil through a 25 micron sock filter.
The filtration process should be performed in advance of a transesterification reaction, and we
encourage the involvement of students in this process.
Heating and Settling (Optional)
In addition to food particles, foods introduce water to the fryer oil. We pre-heat our WVO to 70°C, which
allows water (and additional food particles) to settle to the bottom of the vessel. Excess water and solid
material will settle on the bottom of the oil container. Pre-heating should be started at least one day
before a transesterification reaction.
Titration
WVO is typically more acidic than virgin vegetable oil. When vegetables containing water are fried in hot
oil, some of the water reacts with triglyceride molecules to form what are known as free fatty acids
(FFAs) (Fig 1). FFAs are fatty acid molecules that are not bound to glycerin. These acids react with base
catalyst to form soap (Fig 2), effectively making less catalyst available for the transesterification of
triglycerides to biodiesel. The result is a less complete transesterification reaction.
Loyola University of Chicago: Biodiesel Labs 14Fig 1. Hydrolysis of a triglyceride to form a free fatty acid (from Van Gerpen et al 2004)
Fig 2. Formation of soap from oleic acid (an FFA) (from Van Gerpen et al 2004)
FFAs, however, can be neutralized simply by adding additional base catalyst so that they don’t interfere
with the transesterification reaction. In this case, FFAs are intentionally converted to soap.
(Subsequently, this method is impractical for oils with very high FFA content.) To determine the amount
of additional catalyst, one must determine the acid content of the WVO. This can be accomplished by
titration.
Titration allows one to determine the concentration of acid in a known volume of WVO by neutralizing it
with a reference solution (or titrant) of known base concentration in the presence of a pH neutral
indicator. The following titration procedure has been popularized among biodiesel homebrewers for its
ease of use. Conveniently, the number of milliliters of reference solution needed to neutralize the
analyte corresponds directly with the grams of additional base needed per liter to neutralize the FFAs in
the WVO. The process is as follows:
Preparing the reference solution
This basic solution of known concentration will allow determination of the acid concentration of the
WVO in the analyte. This recipe prepares a 0.1% KOH solution. The reference solution can be prepared
either in advance by the teacher or during the lab by the students.
1. Dissolve 1 g of KOH in 1 L of distilled water (or tap water if purified water is not available).
2. Pour the reference solution into a burette.
Preparing the analyte: Student Procedure
1. Using a graduated cylinder, measure 20 ml of isopropyl alcohol.
2. Pour the isopropyl alcohol into a 50 ml flask.
3. Add 2-3 drops of phenolphthalein solution to the alcohol.
4. Swirl to mix.
5. Add 1 ml of WVO. Swirl until thoroughly mixed (you should start to see the oil bubbles
disassociate and begin to mix with the isopropyl).
6. Repeat steps 1-5 two more times. You will need three separate flasks of analyte.
Titration procedure: Student Procedure
1. Place a flask under the burette containing reference solution.
2. Record the initial volume of reference solution in the burette.
3. Slowly add reference solution (one drop at a time) to the analyte solution.
4. Swirl the beaker between each addition.
Loyola University of Chicago: Biodiesel Labs 155. Continue to add reference solution to the oil/alcohol solution until it turns pink and stays pink
for ~30 seconds while swirling.
6. Stop.
7. Record the quantity of reference solution used, where V0 is initial volume, Vf is final volume, and
T is total volume of reference solution:
8. Repeat titration procedures for each flask.
9. Calculate the average value for T ( ̅ ) from the three trials.
Calculating the amount of additional base catalyst: Teacher Procedure
1. Either assign a volume of WVO for reactions by students, or have them determine the quantity
of WVO appropriate for their jar (remember that you will also need to add methanol and lye).
2. Have students determine the quantities of base and methanol needed to react with your WVO.
Biodiesel Ingredients and Proportions
Using Waste Vegetable Oil
____ L feedstock oil (Hint: 1 gal = 3.79 L)
____ mL methanol = 0.2 x L of oil 1000
____g KOH = (8.0 g KOH + ̅ ) x L of oil
Making Biodiesel____
from= ̅ WVO
At this point, students can proceed with the transesterification reaction as outlined in the Loyola
Biodiesel Program “Making____Biodiesel
g base(NaOH) = (( ̅ +Vegetable
from Virgin (3.5)) x volume ofactivity
Oil” lab feedstock)
with the addition of the
extra base that they have calculated.
Questions:
1). If the WVO were to contain a higher number of free fatty acids, how would that affect the amount of
base used in the reaction? Why?
It would require the addition of more base to neutralize the acids. If additional base is not added,
the conversion of FFAs to soap will make less base catalyst available to the transesterification
reaction, and an incomplete conversion of vegetable oil to biodiesel will result.
2) Why is it important to perform the titration three times and use the average T value?
Repeating trials and using an average value minimizes the chances of experimental error in
determining the T value.
Loyola University of Chicago: Biodiesel Labs 163) Why is it more important to perform titration when using WVO than when using virgin vegetable oil?
WVO is more likely to have a high FFA content, due to the application of high heat and the
introduction of water, which causes the hydrolysis of triglycerides to FFAs.
References:
Van Gerpen, J., B. Shanks, R. Pruszko, D. Clements, and G. Knothe. 2004. Biodiesel production
technology. National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Golden, CO.
Loyola University of Chicago: Biodiesel Labs 17Waste Vegetable Oil and Titrations:
Student Lab
Ever been waiting behind a bus, bus driver hits the gas, and all of a sudden you’re hungry for French
fries? Well, if that hasn’t happened to you yet, it will. We’re going to turn this French fry grease into
fuel! Waste to energy! Unfortunately, as you might notice, used fryer oil is often pretty cruddy. That’s
why it’s getting thrown away. Fortunately, with a few steps, we can make waste vegetable oil (WVO)
suitable for conversion to biodiesel fuel.
Background:
First, we have to get this crud out of the WVO. Much of this crud is food particles left in the oil.
Technically, these food particles are called chunkles®. How are we going to get the chunkles® out of
there? You got it – a chunkle® filter! The Loyola Biodiesel Program uses a 25 micron chunkle® filter to
filter our oil before processing it.
Second, most food stuff contains water. When food is fried, it introduces water to the oil. We can
separate most of the water from the oil by gently heating the oil to about 70°C, which causes the water
to settle to the bottom. Now why does that happen? And once it’s there how do we remove it from the
oil? These are the kinds of problems faced by people trying to save the planet.
Additionally, the chemical composition of vegetable oil changes when it is used in a deep fryer. The
combination of water and heat causes the vegetable oil (triglyceride) molecules to break apart and form
fragments called free fatty acids (FFAs). FFAs will react with the base catalyst to form soap. Soap! When
this reaction takes place, it uses up catalyst that was intended to convert triglycerides into biodiesel, and
we don’t get a complete conversion of WVO to biodiesel. So, we have to add more than 8.0 g of KOH per
liter of oil to neutralize the extra acid in WVO. This will turn the FFAs into soaps, and still leave plenty of
catalyst for the transesterification reaction.
But how much additional KOH do we have to add? (Another problem faced by somebody trying to save
the planet.) Fortunately, chemists have devised a simple technique to address this problem. It’s called
titration. In our case, titration can be used to determine the amount of extra base required to neutralize
the FFAs. Titration is based on the idea that one molecule of base will neutralize one molecule of acid.
So, if we know the amount of base required to neutralize a sample of oil, we should know the amount of
acid in the oil. Additionally, if we know how much basic reference solution (or titrant) was required to
neutralize the solution (or analyte) that contains the oil, we should know how much additional base
catalyst we need to add to our reaction to neutralize the FFAs in the oil. In this titration, the milliliters of
reference solution you use will correspond directly to the additional grams of base catalyst you need to
add to the reaction.
Loyola University of Chicago: Biodiesel Labs 18When we do our titrations, we need to know when all of the acid in the oil has been neutralized. We can
use a pH indicator to help us determine when this has happened. In this lab, we’ll use a pH indicator
called phenolphthalein, which turns pink in a basic solution.
When performing a titration, you will drip the reference solution into the analyte until the color of the
solution just begins to turn pink and remains pink after gently swirling for about 30 seconds. You will
then record the amount of reference solution added. When making biodiesel from WVO, the Loyola
Biodiesel Program uses the following recipe:
For every 1 L feedstock oil (WVO) use:
0.2 L methanol (CH3OH)
8.0 g KOH + ̅
(where ̅ = average milliliters of reference solution used in titration to neutralize the analyte)
Laboratory safety
Put on safety goggles and gloves.
Procedure:
Preparing the reference solution
This basic solution of known concentration will allow determination of the acid concentration of the
WVO in the analyte. This recipe prepares a 0.1% KOH (or NaOH) solution.
1. Dissolve 1 g of KOH in 1 L of distilled water or isopropyl alcohol.
2. Pour the reference solution into a burette.
Preparing the analyte
1. Using a graduated cylinder, measure 20 ml of isopropyl alcohol.
2. Pour the isopropyl alcohol into a 50 ml flask.
3. Add 2-3 drops of phenolphthalein solution to the alcohol.
4. Swirl to mix.
5. Add 1 ml of WVO. Swirl until thoroughly mixed (you should start to see the oil bubbles
disassociate and begin to mix with the isopropyl).
6. Repeat steps 1-5 two more times. You will need three separate flasks of analyte.
Titration procedure
1. Place a flask under the burette containing reference solution.
2. Record the initial volume of reference solution in the burette.
3. Slowly add reference solution (one drop at a time) to the analyte solution.
4. Swirl the beaker between each addition.
5. Continue to add reference solution to the oil/alcohol solution until it turns pink and stays pink
for ~30 seconds while swirling.
Loyola University of Chicago: Biodiesel Labs 196. Stop.
7. Record the quantity of reference solution used, where V0 is initial volume, Vf is final volume, and
T is total volume of reference solution:
8. Repeat titration procedures for each flask.
9. Calculate the average value for T ( ̅ ) from the three trials.
Calculating the amount of additional base catalyst
Biodiesel Ingredients and Proportions
Using Waste Vegetable Oil
____ L feedstock oil (Hint: 1 gal = 3.79 L)
____ mL methanol = 0.2 x L of oil 1000
____ g KOH = (8.0 g KOH + ̅ ) x L of oil
Making Biodiesel____
from= ̅ WVO
You are now prepared to make biodiesel from waste vegetable oil! Proceed as you would with virgin
____
vegetable oil, but be sure g base(NaOH)
to add = (( ̅catalyst
the extra base + (3.5)) that
x volume ofcalculated
you’ve feedstock)based on your titration
results.
Questions:
1). If the WVO were to contain a higher number of free fatty acids, how would that affect the amount of
base used in the reaction?
2) Why is it important to perform the titration three times and take the average T value?
3) Why is it more important to perform titration when using WVO than when using virgin vegetable oil?
Loyola University of Chicago: Biodiesel Labs 20Viscosity Lab Procedure: Teacher Manual
Goals:
Understand what viscosity is.
Understand what factors govern viscosity.
Understand the importance of viscosity in relation to a fuel system.
Understand how to change the viscosity of fluids.
Objectives:
Students will test the viscosities of fluids through experimentation.
Students will collect and record data from their experiments.
Students will analyze the data by graphing it.
Students will express their understanding of viscosity and their experiments by answering
questions.
Background
Diesel engines
Diesel engines convert chemical potential energy in the form of fuel into mechanical kinetic energy in
the form of moving parts. This is achieved through the combustion of fuel into heat, light, and gas in a
combustion chamber called a cylinder. When the fuel explodes inside of the cylinder, it forces
a piston outward producing mechanical motion. The linear motion of the piston is then converted
to rotational motion via a crankshaft. This rotational motion ultimately turns the wheels of a
vehicle.
The uniqueness of the diesel engine derives from the fact that compression alone within the cylinder
creates sufficient heat to ignite the fuel. This characteristic distinguishes the diesel engine from
the gasoline engine, which relies on a spark for the ignition of fuel within the chamber. The high
compression of diesel engines causes them to be about 15% more efficient on average than gasoline
engines.
Due to their high combustion temperatures, diesel engines have always had the capacity to utilize a
variety of fuels. In 1909, a diesel engine fueled by peanut oil was demonstrated at the World Fair in
Paris. Using vegetable oil-based fuels mitigates many of the negative impacts associated with fossil fuels
including greenhouse gas emissions and dependency on imported oil.
During the early 20th Century, however, as petroleum became less expensive and more available,
engineers increasingly designed automobiles to use only petroleum-based fuels. Almost all diesel fuel
systems built in the last one hundred years were designed to optimize the properties of petroleum
diesel. For an alternative fuel to function effectively in an unmodified diesel automobile, it must
Loyola University of Chicago: Biodiesel Labs 21duplicate the properties of petroleum diesel. The major physical property affecting the use of vegetable
oil in unmodified diesel engines and fuel systems is viscosity.
Viscosity
Viscosity is the resistance of a fluid to flow. It is often referred to as “fluid friction” and commonly
thought of as the “thickness” of a fluid. A fluid like honey that is very thick has a high viscosity, and a
fluid like water that is relatively thin has a low viscosity. Viscosity is commonly measured in units called
Pascal seconds (Pa • s).
In an engine, fuel is delivered to the cylinders via a fuel system. The major components of the fuel
system include the fuel tank, fuel lines, the fuel pump, the fuel filter, and fuel injectors. When you
pump gas into a vehicle, it enters the fuel tank. Fuel is then pumped out of the tank when you drive,
through fuel lines and through the fuel filter to fuel injectors, which inject a fine spray of fuel into the
cylinders at exactly the right moment. The fuel then explodes. The components of the fuel system are
designed to distribute a certain amount of fuel at a certain rate, which is affected by fuel viscosity.
Viscosity is governed by a combination of three major factors:
Intermolecular forces
o The stronger the bonds between molecules, the more viscous the fluid.
Molecular size
o Smaller molecules flow past one another more easily than larger molecules.
Molecular shape
o This property can be tricky. Sometimes, linear molecules flow more easily past each
other than branched molecules. On the other hand, sometimes linear molecules can
more easily stack on top of one another than branched molecules, which can increase
the intermolecular bonding between linear molecules.
Vegetable oil is typically ten times more viscous than petroleum diesel. Using vegetable oil in an
unmodified diesel fuel system would be a lot like shooting vegetable oil through a squirt gun. It won’t
work very well. Furthermore, it will cause damage to the engine and fuel system. In order to utilize a
vegetable oil-based fuel in an unmodified diesel fuel system, the vegetable oil itself must be modified
to acquire a viscosity very close to that of petroleum diesel.
Teacher Preparation
In this lab, students will compare the viscosities of vegetable oils and biodiesel at different
temperatures. We have suggested WVO, biodiesel, corn oil, and soy oil, but we encourage you to be
creative. We advise having pairs of students or small groups conduct trials on only one of the fluids and
then comparing the results as a class. It is a good idea to prepare a demonstration in the front of the
classroom to show the viscosity of all of the different fluids, in case the students didn’t get to see them
Loyola University of Chicago: Biodiesel Labs 22all during the lab period. Make available at each student work bench each of the items in the Materials
list below.
1) Prepare lab stations for each student group with the items listed in the Materials list below.
2) Give one of the samples to each group in a container – note the groups will only perform trials
on one of the samples. At the end of the class gather all of the data and share.
3) At the end of class if you wish to calculate viscosity use the equation:
( )
With this equation n = Viscosity in Pa•s
∆p = the change of the density of the fluid and the sphere
g = acceleration of gravity (9.8 m/s2)
r = radius of the sphere in meters
v = velocity of the sphere’s descent through the liquid in m/s
Materials:
1000 mL (glass) graduated cylinder Thermometer
1000 mL sample of one of the following 1000 mL Erlenmeyer flasks
o waste vegetable oil Teflon balls (5/16” diameter) Funnel
o biodiesel Steel wool
o corn oil Stopwatch
o soy oil Stirring Rod
Hot plate Wax pencil
Safety Precautions:
Wear gloves and goggles at all times. When you are handling hot oils wear heat resistant gloves.
Student Procedure:
1. Fill the graduated cylinder with your liquid sample to the 1000 mL mark.
2. Draw two lines on your column with the wax pencil, one near the top of the oil and one near the
bottom.
3. Measure the distance between the two lines in meters and record the length below. You will
need this measurement later for your data table.
Loyola University of Chicago: Biodiesel Labs 23Column height _________ meters
(Note: there are 100 centimeters in one meter)
4. Take the temperature of the liquid at room temperature (in °C) and record in the data table.
5. Use a stopwatch to time the Teflon ball as it drops through the oil. Drop the Teflon ball into the
oil and measure the time it takes the ball to travel from the top line to the bottom line. Try to
drop the ball as close to the liquid’s surface as you can. Conduct total of three trials and record
the times in seconds in your data table.
6. Pour the liquid from the graduated cylinder into the Erlenmeyer flask until you have emptied
most of the fluid. Before the balls drop, place a sample of steel wool into a funnel to catch the
Teflon balls.
7. Heat the liquid in the Erlenmeyer flask on the hot plate to a temperature of 60°C. You can mix
the liquid with a stirring rod.
8. Pour the heated liquid from the flask into the graduated cylinder up to 1000 mL mark (Note: oil
may have expanded during heating. If so take a new height measurement).
New Column height ___________ meters
8. Drop a Teflon ball into the oil in the cylinder. Using a stopwatch, measure the time it takes the
ball to travel from the top line to the bottom line. Try to drop the ball as close to the liquid’s
surface as you can. Conduct a total of three trials and record the times in seconds in your data
table.
9. Transfer the heated liquid to the original Erlenmeyer flask from the beginning and begin your
calculations while the liquid cools. Do not clean up the liquid until its temperature has dropped
below 50°C.
10. When everyone is finished, collect the data on the other sample liquids from the other groups.
Data Sheet
Time to travel X-meters in Y-
seconds at Room Temperature Time to travel X-meters in Y-
Sample Material
(_______˚ C) seconds at 60˚ C
Waste Vegetable Oil m/ sec m/ sec
Biodiesel m/ sec m/ sec
Corn Oil m/ sec m/ sec
Soy Oil m/ sec m/ sec
Loyola University of Chicago: Biodiesel Labs 24Questions
1) What factors affected how quickly the ball moved through each of the samples?
The viscosity of the fluid, resulting largely from the shape and size of the component molecules.
The temperature of the fluid. Higher temperature fluids have a lower viscosity.
2) Can you hypothesize why the ball moved more quickly through the heated samples than through
the samples at room temperature?
3) How did the viscosity of the biodiesel compare to the other samples? Why might this be important
when considering it as a fuel to be combusted within engines?
Biodiesel typically has a lower viscosity than vegetable oils at lower temperatures. At higher
temps, the viscosities become close. The viscosity of biodiesel in the liquid phase typically
changes less than that of vegetable oil as temperature increases.
4) In addition to viscosity, what are some other important properties or qualities to consider in the
development of alternative fuels?
Emissions, environmental impact, energy density, transportability, cost, etc.
Loyola University of Chicago: Biodiesel Labs 25Viscosity Lab Procedure: Student Lab
Introduction
When diesel engines were invented in the late 1800s, they
were intended to be able to run on a variety of fuels, and
they could. The first diesel engines ran on coal dust, and
shortly thereafter, people were running them on peanut oil.
Petroleum, however, was rapidly emerging as a relatively
cheap and energy dense source of fuel, which it has been
for about the past 100 years or so. Today, most diesel
vehicles today are designed to operate on petroleum diesel,
and their designs optimize the properties of that fuel.
As you probably know, however, petroleum is a non-
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EqDSNN-poIQB Loyola University of Chicago: Biodiesel Labs 26Materials:
1000 mL
(glass) graduated cylinder Thermometer
1000 mL sample of one of the following: 5 x 1000 mL Erlenmeyer flasks
waste vegetable oil Teflon balls (5/16” diameter) Funnel
biodiesel Steel wool
corn oil Stopwatch
soy oil Stirring Rod
Hot plate
Procedure
1) Fill the graduated cylinder with your liquid sample to the 1000 mL mark.
2) Measure the length of the column of oil in meters and record the length below. You will need
this measurement later for your data table.
Column length _________ meters
(Note: there are 100 centimeters in one meter)
3) Take the temperature of the liquid at room temperature (in °C) and record in the data table.
4) Drop a Teflon ball into the oil in the cylinder while using a stopwatch to time from when the ball
enters the oil to when it hits the bottom of the cylinder. Try to drop the ball as close to the
liquid’s surface as you can. Conduct total of three trials and record the times in seconds in your
data table.
5) Pour the liquid from the graduated cylinder into the Erlenmeyer flask until you have emptied
most of the fluid. Before the balls drop, place a sample of steel wool into a funnel to catch the
Teflon balls.
6) Heat the liquid in the Erlenmeyer flask on the hot plate to a temperature of 60°C. You can mix
the liquid with a stirring rod to meet the required temperature.
7) Pour the heated liquid from the flask into the graduated cylinder up to 1000 mL mark (Note: oil
may have expanded during heating. If so take a new length measurement).
New Column length ___________ meters
8) Drop a Teflon ball into the oil in the cylinder. Using a stopwatch, time from when the ball enters
the oil to when it hits the bottom of the cylinder. Try to drop the ball as close to the liquid’s
surface as you can. Conduct total of three trials and record the times in seconds in your data
table.
9) Transfer the heated liquid to the original Erlenmeyer flask from the beginning and begin your
calculations while the liquid cools. Do not clean up until the liquid temperature has dropped
below 50°C.
10) When everyone is finished, collect the data on the other sample liquids from the other groups.
Loyola University of Chicago: Biodiesel Labs 27Data Sheet
Time to travel X-meters in Y-
seconds at Room Temperature Time to travel X-meters in Y-
Sample Material
(_______˚ C) seconds at 60˚ C
Waste Vegetable Oil m/ sec m/ sec
Biodiesel m/ sec m/ sec
Corn Oil m/ sec m/ sec
Soy Oil m/ sec m/ sec
Questions
1) What factors affected how quickly the ball moved through each of the samples?
2) Can you hypothesize why the ball moved more quickly through the heated samples then
through the samples at room temperature?
3) How did the viscosity of the biodiesel compare to the other samples? Why might this be
important when considering it as a fuel to be combusted within engines?
4) In addition to viscosity, what are some other important properties or qualities to consider in the
development of alternative fuels?
Loyola University of Chicago: Biodiesel Labs 28Properties of Liquids: Teacher Manual
by Connie Doyle, PhD • Senn High School • Chicago, IL
Goals
Students will differentiate between density and viscosity.
Students will separate and identify liquids by density.
Students will predict viscosity of biodiesel.
Background
Density and viscosity are essential properties in characterizing liquids, and the differences between the
two are important. Density is the amount of matter in a given space (mass per unit volume), and
viscosity is the resistance of a liquid to flow. Unfortunately, the terms “thick” and “thin” are frequently
used as synonyms for both dense/not dense and viscous/not viscous.
Students confuse density and viscosity, or they simply do not possess a separate viscosity concept. They
are inclined to think that oils are denser than water, because oils do not flow as easily as water. They
need the idea of viscosity as a distinct property, and if the ideas of viscosity and density are introduced
in close proximity with deliberate comparisons, long term confusion might be avoided. The table below
gives the densities and viscosities of six liquids arranged in order of viscosity. Though the organic
substances follow the same order for viscosity and density, the inorganic substances, water and
mercury, do not.
Table of Liquid Viscosities and Densities
LIQUID VISCOSITY (Pa∙s)*** DENSITY (g/mL)**
(at 20oC) (at 20oC)
Methanol 5.9 X 10-4 0.79
Water 1.003 X 10-3 1.00
Mercury 1.55 X 10-3 13.53
Biodiesel* 34 X 10-4 - 51 X 10-4 0.86 - 0.90
Corn oil 3.1 X 10-2 0.92
Glycerin 1.42 1.26
*Varies by source, e.g., corn or soy
**Densities are given in g/mL, because they are more intuitive for students than the SI kg/m3.
3
They can be changed by multiplying by 1000, e.g., 0.79 g/mL becomes 790 kg/m .
***Viscosities of other common liquids: http://hypertextbook.com/physics/matter/viscosity/
Should students wish to explore other liquids, the website given as a footnote to the table provides
common examples. It should be noted that in articles that deal with viscosity, in particular those
concerned with biodiesel technology, two types of viscosity are usually mentioned: dynamic or absolute
viscosity and kinematic viscosity. Dynamic or absolute viscosity is the number used here. (Kinematic
viscosity is the ratio of dynamic viscosity to density.)
Loyola University of Chicago: Biodiesel Labs 29Materials
Water (tap water works)
Methanol (about 150 mL per student team)
Corn oil (about 150 mL per student team)
Biodiesel (about 150 mL/team; from previous lab?)
Glycerin (about 150 mL/team; if from previous lab, this will be a glycerin/methanol mixture)
250 mL beakers (3/team)
100 mL graduated cylinders (1/team)
Scales for finding mass
Plastic balls, small enough to drop easily in the cylinder (5/team)
Stopwatches (1/team)
Printed lab sheets for Exploration and Experiment
Preparation
On Day 1 prepare a chart (chalkboard, overhead, or computer/projector) to record and share data on
densities and ball drop times for water and methanol. On Day 2 a similar chart will be needed for corn
oil, glycerin, and biodiesel. DATA FOR WATER AND METHANOL SHOULD BE INCLUDED ON THE DAY 2
CHART FOR COMPARISON.
This lab is meant to follow one in which students make biodiesel and glycerin from corn oil and
methanol. If the products from this lab are used, the glycerin will really be a glycerin/methanol mixture.
A sample of pure glycerin could be used for comparison. If this lab has not been completed, samples of
biodiesel and glycerin will need to be obtained elsewhere, and students can skip the question about
which product, biodiesel or glycerin, contains the waste methanol.
Procedure (See also student version)
Exploration (Day 1)
1) Students will find the densities of 2 liquids, water and methanol, by measuring 100 mL of each
into graduated cylinders that have been massed. They find the mass of cylinder plus liquid and
then the mass of the liquid by difference. They divide by 100 to find the density of each liquid in
grams/milliliter. (This procedure is used to build an instinctive sense of liquid density, and it
could be modified for students who are already very familiar with the density concept.)
2) Using the same cylinders with 100 mL of liquid, students will mark cylinders for each liquid by
placing a piece of masking tape vertically on the cylinder. They will mark a starting point about 1
centimeter below the level of the liquid and a stopping point 10 centimeters below the starting
point. They then use a stopwatch to find the time it takes a small ball to drop through the
measured distance in the cylinder.
3) Class Discussion: Compare data posted by each group. It should be clear that water has a density
greater than methanol (about 1 g/mL for water compared to about 0.8 g/mL for methanol) . It
should also be clear that the ball sinks faster in the methanol than in water. Students should
Loyola University of Chicago: Biodiesel Labs 30form a hypothesis for Day 2, remembering that a hypothesis has reason and a prediction. A
good initial “reason” for the differences in time for the ball to sink is density. Students should
be able to predict accordingly that denser liquids will have times greater than less dense liquids.
A good hypothesis statement would be, “If denser liquids cause the ball to drop more slowly,
then times for the ball to drop should be greater as density increases. (The density reason is
NOT correct, but students should discover that for themselves on Day 2.)
Experiment (Day 2)
1) Students will find the densities of corn oil, biodiesel, and glycerin using the same procedure as
Day 1.
2) Ball dropping is timed as in Day 1.
3) Students arrange data in a table according to ball drop times. It should become clear that the
densities do not go in the same order.
4) Each group adds densities and times to the class chart for comparison.
5) The hypothesis has been disproven, because water is not in order. Students might need to be
reminded that it only takes one piece of data to disprove a hypothesis.
6) Introduce the term viscosity: resistance to flow.
Questions
1. You found that density was not a dependable way to predict the time a ball takes to drop
through a liquid. Instead, you found that there was another property of liquids called viscosity.
In your own words, what is viscosity? (Answers may vary, but will probably include resistance to
flow or stickiness.)
2. The liquids in the table below are arranged from lowest viscosity to greatest viscosity. How
would the time for a ball to drop through mercury compare to that for water? How would it
compare to corn oil? How does the density of mercury compare to water and corn oil? (Mercury
is more viscous than water, so the ball would drop more slowly. Mercury is less viscous than
corn oil, the ball would drop more quickly through mercury. Mercury is much more dense than
either water or corn oil.)
LIQUID VISCOSITY (Pa∙s)*** DENSITY (g/mL)**
(at 20oC) (at 20oC)
Methanol 5.9 X 10-4 0.79
Water 10.03 X 10-4 1.00
Mercury 15.5 X 10-4 13.53
Biodiesel* ? 0.86-0.90
Corn oil 310 X 10-4 0.92
Glycerin 1420 X 10-4 1.26
Loyola University of Chicago: Biodiesel Labs 31You can also read
